Recommended Tools for Biblical Word Study

Plethoric word-study tools are available in print and in digital format but not all are of equal value. A number of sources are outdated, incomplete, insubstantial, and/or replete with inaccuracies. “Most free computer shareware falls into this category, which is why it is made available free of charge!” (C. L. Blomberg, Handbook of NT Exegesis 138 n. 52). 

BASIC

 

I. Multiple English Translations: Formal Correspondence Versions (a) ESV, NASB/U, NKJV; (b) ASV, KJV, RSV; Optimal/Dynamic Equivalence Versions (a) H/CSB, T/NIV, NRSV; (b) McCord, NET. 

 

II. Exhaustive Concordance: alphabetically lists each word in the English Bible with corresponding Hebrew or Greek terms, citing all scripture references where the word occurs.

·      James Strong, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010): based on the KJV or NASB, with a reference number corresponding to the underlying Hebrew or Greek term defined in the back. Other reference tools use the Strong’s numbering system for convenience. 

·      Edward W. Goodrick and John R. Kohlenberger III, eds. The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999).

·      Robert Young, Analytical Concordance to the Bible, Rev. ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).

·      It is most helpful to use a concordance that matches the Bible version you are using.

 

III. Expository Dictionary: a cross reference from key English words in the Bible to corresponding Hebrew and Greek words, with brief definitions and sample scripture references.

·      W. E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger, and William White, Jr., Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996).

·      William D. Mounce, Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006).

 

IV. Bible Encyclopedia and/or Dictionary: numerous articles about the language, customs, and literature of Bible lands, archaeological discoveries, historical and religious environments, et al.

·      John McClintock and James Strong, eds. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, 8 vols. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1968-70).

·      James Orr, gen. ed., The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 4 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980); revised, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, ed. (1989).

·      Chad Brand and Eric Mitchell, eds. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Rev. ed. (Nashville: Holman, 2015).

 

V. Free online sources:

·      Blue Letter Bible – free online reference library with a variety of Bible study tools <Link>. 

·      BibleGateway.com – a website designed to allow easy reading, listening, studying, searching, and sharing of the Bible in many different versions and translations, including English, French, Spanish, and other languages <Link>. 

 

INTERMEDIATE

 

I. Interlinear: the biblical text with a literal English translation of each word. 

·      Jay Patrick Green, Sr., The Interlinear Bible: Hebrew-Greek-English (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2005).

·      J. D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1990). 

·      The Zondervan Parallel New Testament in Greek and English (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975, 1982).

·      Arthur L. Farstad, Zane C. Hodges, et al., eds. The Majority Text Greek New Testament Interlinear (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007).  

·      John Schwandt and C. John Collins, eds. The ESV English-Greek Reverse Interlinear New Testament (Crossway, 2006). The English translation is the main text with corresponding Greek words underneath.

 

II. Lexicon: provides a fuller definition of each word in the Hebrew Old Testament or Greek New Testament with sample references from the Bible and related literature.

·      Harold K. Moulton, ed. The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978): lists and identifies various forms of Greek words and helps to locate the lexical form.

·      Barbara and Timothy Friberg, Analytical Concordance of the Greek New Testament—Lexical Focus (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981).

·      Joseph Henry Thayer, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Associated Publishers, 1889); coded with Strong’s numbering system (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996).

 

III.  Free online sources:

·      Bible Hub – digital library including topical, Greek and Hebrew study tools, concordances, commentaries, dictionaries, and devotionals <Link>. 

 

ADVANCED

 

I. Hebrew and Greek Texts:

·      Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1990).

·      Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece, 28th ed. (Stuttgart: German Bible Society, 2012). Available online <Link>.

·      UBS The Greek New Testament, 5th ed. (Stuttgart: German Bible Society, 2014).

·      Maurice A. Robinson and William G. Pierpont, The New Testament in the Original Greek: Byzantine Textform 2005 (Southborough, MA: Hilton, 2005).

·      Barbara and Timothy Friberg, eds. Analytical Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981).

 

II. Lexicon:

·      Francis Brown, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1955).

·      BDAG – Walter Bauer, F. W. Danker, W. F. Arndt, and F. W. Gingrich, eds. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000); BAGD (1979 ed.).

·      Johannes P. Louw and Eugene A. Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, 2nd ed. (New York: UBS, 1989).

 

III. Hebrew/Greek-English Concordance: provides the location and concise meaning of each word in the Hebrew Old Testament or Greek New Testament.

·      John H. Sailhamer, A New Concordance of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984).

·      Edwin Hatch and Henry A. Redpath, A Concordance to the Septuagint, 2nd. ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998).

·      George V. Wigram, The New Englishman’s Greek Concordance and Lexicon, Rev. Jay P. Green (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1982).

·      Moulton and Geden Concordance to the Greek New Testament, 6th ed., I. Howard Marshall, ed. (London: T&T Clark, 2004).

 

IV. Dictionary:

·      Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich, eds. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT), 10 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964-76).

·      Colin Brown, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (NIDNTT), 3 vols. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975-78).

 

V. Digital Sources:

·      Academia-Bible.com – up-to-date academic biblical texts, including Hebrew OT, Greek NT, LXX, and Latin Vulgate. Free at <Link>.

·      Logos Bible Software – a digital library including extensive resource linking and linguistic analysis for studying the Bible in English translation and the original languages.

·      Accordance Bible Software – a Bible-study program centered on the biblical text with additional Bible-related sources, study tools, commentaries, dictionaries, and a cross reference system.

 

--Kevin L. Moore

 

Related Posts: Biblical Word Study, When the Greek NT is Translated into English

 

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